Sanitary refuse disposal unit



May 5, 1959 L. E. SMITHERS SANITARY REFUSE DISPOSAL UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed March 20, 1957 INVENTQR. Law renceESmnhers ATTVJ May 5, 1959 E.SMITHERS SANITARY REFUSE. DISPOSAL UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20,1957 FIG.2

---------------- --,---a-- A-o- -+-1 INVENTOR. Lawrence E. Smithers BY W771M.

United States Patent C) SANITARY REFUSE DISPOSAL UNIT Lawrence E.Smithers, Silver Spring, Md.

Application March 20, 1957, Serial No. 647,400

3 Claims. (Cl. 232-435) This invention relates to refuse disposal unitsin general and more particularly appertains to improvements therein inwhich the disposal unit is completely enclosed and yet is accessibleboth from inside the building structure with which it is associated, andfrom the outside of the building so that the user may deposit trash inthe receptacle while in the building and a trash collector may gainaccess to the receptacle from outside the building.

Trash receptacles of the type having means for gaining access theretofrom the inside of the building and wherein the receptacles are usuallymounted exteriorly of the building are conventional. However, it is ofprimary concern in connection with this invention to provide a trashreceptacle of this general character wherein the receptacle is normallyhoused within the confines of the building with which it is associated,there being an access door in the interior of the building leading tothe receptacle and there being an exterior access door so that thereceptacle may be pulled out of the building in drawer-like fashion andsubsequently tipped to a dumping position, for the convenience both ofthe user and of the personnel collecting the trash or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved trashreceptacle assemblage incorporating a sup porting structure within whichthe receptacle is normally housed and including guide means for mountinga trash receptacle and permitting the receptacle to be moved from withinthe confines of the supporting structure to a position at leastpartially projecting from the support structure, whereby in the latterposition the receptacle may be tipped or tilted to a dumping position.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved form of trashreceptacle including internally mounted guide or track assembliesbetween which the receptacle is mounted, with there being provided meanscarried by the receptacle and engaged with the tracks or guides forpermitting the receptacle to be moved horizontally between a normalout-of-the-way position wherein it is readily accessible from inside thebuilding with which it is associated and a secondary position wherein itis at least partially projected outwardly of the building and wherein itcan be readily and easily tilted to a dumping position.

Still another object of this invention is to provide improvements intrash receptacles incorporating a rigid open framework having a pair ofspaced apart, horizontally disposed guide assemblies incorporatedtherein and forming a part of the framework, each of the guideassemblies including upper and lower bar members adjustably carrying agenerally U-shaped track rod, with the receptacle being mounted betweenthe guide assemblies and carrying rollers engaged with cooperating trackrods on opposite sides of the receptacle, and wherein stabilizing meansare incorporated in conjunction with the rollers which are engaged withthe upper rail of each of the guide assemblies to normally retain thereceptacle the receptacle is withdrawn from within the confines of thesupport assembly. to be tipped into a substantially vertical, dumpingposition.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointedout in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction,within the scope of the claims,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along theplane of section line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial elevation illustrating de-- tails of theguide assemblies; and

Fig. 5 is an elevational view showing the inner edge of one of the guiderails.

As is shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the trash recep-- tacle assemblageincludes a pair of generally rectangular support frame members 10 and 11interconnected on opposite sides thereof by guide assemblies 12 and 13,it being preferred that the entire supporting framework for thereceptacle 14 be constructed so as to provide a unitary, rigidstructure, suitable for installation as a unit into an associatedbuilding structure, such as a residence or the like.

Fig. 2 illustrates the general construction to be em-- ployed inmounting the assemblage shown in Fig. 1 and,

in this'respect it is to be noted that the trash receptacle and itsassociated parts are preferred to be completely enclosed. In Fig. 2,reference numeral 15 indicates an exterior wall of a building andhingedly mounted onthe outer face thereof is an access door 16 having asuitable handle 17, preferably of the type having latch means associatedtherewith so as to tightly hold the door'in closed position, and in thisrespect it is preferable to utilize some sort of seaiing means, such asrubber strips,

around the inner edge of the door to provide a goodseal. An interiorside wall 18 of the building structure may be provided with an interioraccess door 19 having suitable latch means 20 associated therewith andpermit-- ting the housewife or user to gain ready access into theinterior of the enclosure and thus place trash in the re ceptacle housedtherewithin. At the same time, the trash collector may gain access tothe receptacle by means of the exterior door 16, as will be more clearlyunderstood hereinafter.

Referring back to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the frame member 10 isprovided with vertical side pieces 21 and 22, each of which isidentically formed, although only the right hand member 22 is clearlyshown in the figure. Eachsuch side member is constructed preferably ofangle iron with the forward flange thereof cut away as indicated by thereference character 23 watt-- commodate for the guide assemblies 12 and13 and for clearing the stabilizing member, hereinafter moreparticu'larly referred to. The vertical side pieces 24 and 25 of theinner frame member 11 are securely fastened as by in its uprightposition but permitting the same, when rivets 25 and 27 or othersuitable fasteners to the inner ends of the upper and lower guide bars28 and 29 of the corresponding guide assemblies 12 and 13. Adjacenttheir outer ends, the bars 28 and 29 are fastened a,sas,144

3 l l similarly, as at 30 and 31 to the frame member 10. Thus, the guideassemblies 12 and 13 actually form part of the framework which supportsthe receptacle 14, the guide serving to rigidly interconnect the twoframe elements 10 and 11 and to retain the same in fixed relativeposition. 1

The receptacle 14 is so formed as to be open at its top and preferablyits opposite side walls '31 and 33 are joined by a single sheet ofmaterial 34 which forms the front, rear and bottom walls for thereceptacle. The lower front corner 35 of each of the side walls 32 and33 is preferably rounded in the manner shown with the sheet 34 followingthe contour thereof and it is also preferred that the upper rear corner36 of each of the side walls be rounded. The purpose of thisconstruction will be more readily apparent as this description proceeds.

One ofthe side walls 33 is provided with an access opening, 31 which,when the receptacle is disposed in its normal position wherein it issubstantially completely housed within the confines of the support frameassemblage, registers with the access door 19 shown in Fig. 2 so thatwhen the accessdoor is open, trash can be placed directly into thereceptacle.

Each of the side walls 32 and 33 carries a roller assembly 38 which isengaged by a corresponding guide assembly 12 and 13 and by means ofwhich thereceptacle is supported thereby. Since only a single roller isprovided on each side of the receptacle, stabilizing means such as therollers 39 must be provided to retain the receptaclein its normalupright position, the stablizing roller or rollers, if one is providedat each sideof the assembly, being engaged against the top surface ofthe upper rail 28 as is most clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates theconstruction of the rollers 38 and of thestablizing rollers 39. In this figure, it will be seen that each sidewall is provided on inner and out faces thereof with rigidifying platemembers 40 and 41 in the region immediately adjacent the connectionthereto of the roller assemblies 38, such plates and the side walls yinga suitable axle 42 which projects horizontally outwardly therefrom andupon which the corresponding guide roller is rotatably mounted. Ofcourse, suitable spacing means 43 may be provided to precisely andaccurately position the rollers with respect to their asso ciated, guideassemblies. As is also shown inFig. ,3, the stabilizing roller orrollers 39 may have a rigidityingplate 44 associated therewith on theinner side of the corresponding side walls and carrying an axle or shaftmember 45 upon which the roller 39 is rotatably mounted.

Fig-13 further illustrates details of the construction of the guideassemblies 12 and 13. In this figure, it will be seen that the upper andlower rails 28 and 29 are provided with opposed arcuate edges 46 and 47seating the upper and lower flights 48 and 49 of the track rod member 50therein. The track rod, as can be seen, is of circular cross section andthe rollers 38 are of the type having: a semi-circular peripheral grooveso as to receive and be retained in engagement with the track rod.However, it is, of course, to be appreciated that it is desirable thatthe upper and lower flights 48 and 49 of the track rod are to be spacedapart a vertical distance slightly greater than the diameter of therollers 38 through the bottom of the peripheral groove thereof so thatthe roller will rest and turn only on the lower-flight f. the track rodthe top flight functioning as a guide. Each of the track rods is ofgenerally U-shaped configuration and presents a loop 51 at its outer endwhich is disposed slightly beyond the outer terminal portions of theassociatedbars 28 and 29 and which ispreferably on a radiuscorresponding to the curvature of the rollers 28 so as to nest therewithwhen the receptacle is pulled to its outer extreme position. Thus theloops receptacle 14. When the receptacle has been pulled out so that therollers 38 engage the loop stops 51, the position of the receptacle willbe such that its upper rear corner will clear the top horizontal frameelement 52 of the outermost frame 10 and the receptacle may be tipped ortilted downwardly to dump its contents. For readily permitting thereceptacle to be pulled out and tipped, a suitable handle 53 may beprovided.

The track rods 50, as previously described, are of generally U-shapedconfiguration but the terminal portions 54 and 55 of the upper and lowerflights 48 and 49 thereof are bent outwardly to extend vertically awayfrom one another, see particularly Fig. 4. The upper and lower bars 28and 29 of each guide means are provided with facing aligned bores 56 and57, there being a series of such bores in each track bar and theoutwardly bent ends 54 and 55 of the track rods are disposed therein soas to fix them to the track bars. In this way, the location of the loopstops 51 may be accurately determined as may be necessary to adapt theassemblage to the particular installation. Fig. 5 illustrates thedisposition of the bores 56in the upper track bar 28.

It is to be noted that the provision of the tracks in the form of roundmembers prevents their catching waste materials that might interferewith the free movement of the main support rollers. The unit may bemounted independently or in a cabinet and is readily adjustable to wallthicknesses, of either brick or frame constructions.

I claim:

1. A refuse disposalunit comprising a pair of open, rectangular framemembers disposed in vertical parallel relation, guide means rigidlyinterconnecting opposite sides of said frame members and constitutingtherewith a rigid and fixed framework, an open-topped receptacledisposed between said guide means, a roller journalled on each side ofsaid receptacle forwardly of the center of gravity of said receptacleand engaged with a corresponding guide means, said guide means includinga pair of elongate horizontal bars rigidly afiixed to said frame membersat each side thereof with one end portion of each of such barsprojecting beyond one of said frame members and including abutment meansextending between such projectingends of the bars at their extremities,said rollers being engaged between the corresponding pair of said guidebars whereby the receptacle is supported on the guide means and ismovable between a stored position in which the receptacle issubstantially wholly disposed within the confines of the frame membersand a projecting position disposed largely outside of the frame memberswith said rollers being engaged against said abutment means, astabilizing member fixed to one side of said receptacle and rearwardlyof said rollers and engaged on top of the upper of the adjacent guidebars to normally support said receptacle in upright position butpermitting, the rear of the receptacle carrying the stabilizing memberto move arcuately upwardly away from the guide means as the front of thereceptacle is rocked downwardly fordumping about the axes of the rollerswhen in its projected position.

2. A refuse disposal unit comprising a pair of open, rectangular framemembers disposed in vertical parallel relation, guide means rigidlyinterconnecting opposite sides of said frame members, an open toppedreceptacle disposed between said guide means, a roller journalled oneach side of said receptacle and engaged with a corresponding guidemeans whereby said receptacle is supported on said guide means and ismovable between a stored position in which it is substantially whollydisposed within the confines of said frame members and a projectingposition disposed substantially wholly outside said frame members, astabilizing roller fixed to one side of said receptacle and engaged ontop of the adjacent guide means to normally support said receptacle inupright position but movable away from the guide means to permit thereceptacle to be rocked for dumping about the axis of the firstrollerswhen in the projected position,

each guide means including an upper guide bar fixed between said framemembers and a lower guide bar fixed between said frame members anddisposed in parallel relationship with the upper guide bar, a generallyU- shaped track rod of circular cross section carried by said guide barsand having upper and lower flights extending along opposed edges of saidguide bars and having a stop loop portion interconnecting such flightsand disposed adjacent one end of the guide means, each of said firstrollers being peripherally grooved to receive said track rod.

3. The assembly as defined in and by claim 2 wherein said guide bars areprovided with a series of longitudinally spaced bores along theiropposed edges, and said track v rods having outwardly and laterally bentend portions received in certain of said bores to position said stoploop portions thereof relative to the framework.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS163,621 Zimmerman May 25, 1875 870,887 Johnston Nov. 12, 1907 1,108,281Ufiner Aug. 25, 1914 1,469,359 Craw Oct. 3, 1923 1,840,142 VanderhoofJan. 5, 1932 2,565,845 Frederick Aug. 28, 1951 2,749,201 Koury June 5,1956

